Kissing Sunshine
by InuHanyouGurl
Summary: Konzen has never liked parties, but he's never seen a serving boy with such a bright smile either.
1. Kissing Sunshine

**A/N-** It's based on a anecdote about Sophocles. This is my first fic for this fandom so feedback would be much appreciated. Posted over at the saiyuki lj comm too. ^___^

**WARNING: **If two males kissing offends you, I suggest that you not read this fic. Also some coarse language. Fic is essentially rated for Konzen's mouth. XD

**Kissing Sunshine**

Konzen was definitely not happy, and he definitely didn't want to be here.

Most definitely, however, his eyes did not keep sliding to the young serving boy with the wild brown hair and the large golden eyes.

Although Konzen had been to this politician's villa before, he'd never seen this young slave who seemed so awkward and out of place amongst all the rest of the servers. This boy must be a new addition to the household slaves. With his wide eyes, the boy was gazing around him awe-stricken at the opulence of the banquet. As Konzen had been observing him – surreptitiously of course- he'd noticed the boy's quiet destruction of the lavish decorations strategically placed around the banquet hall. The boy had picked flowers from the potted plants along the walls, spilled wine on a flowing white curtain, and broken a thin vase in the corner of the room. If the crowd of _elegant_ Athenian nobles hadn't been so loud and unruly, he may not have escaped punishment for that. The boy was quick on his feet when the situation called for it.

Konzen had picked up strains of the boy's voice as he offered wine to the guests milling about- not because he was listening intently or anything. The golden-eyed boy had a loud confidence to his speech that was quite unbefitting for his station as a slave of the household. With his mouth curved up into genuine smile, the boy travelled around the room, eager to please, experience, and destroy anything too delicate in his path.

With a snort of derision, Konzen tore his eyes away from the boy. Why should he be interested in him anyway? This wild-haired boy didn't seem to realize his position in this household, and he was so loud, clumsy, and rowdy. But…

Konzen had ever seen someone more _alive_. This boy was a slave, likely the badly treated new boy at that, but he was undoubtedly the happiest person in the room.

At that moment a smooth voice invaded his thoughts.

"I see you've found something that captures your interest, Konzen."

A scowl contorted his pretty features as he looked up at his _dear_ aunt Kanzeon. Normally women weren't allowed at gatherings like this save the hetairais, but he supposed his aunt was a special case. Because of her _peculiarities_, she was considered a prophet by the people. Konzen thought that was utter rubbish. He ignored the fact that her predictions were always accurate.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Konzen had found the most secluded place in room, a window seat far away from the cavorting masses, and the sparse torches in this corner made it his favorite in the banquet hall. Mostly, when he was attending gatherings like this, he'd find his own private window and stargaze until it was polite to leave. A few people would wander over and talk to him throughout the night, but he was known amongst the Athenian nobles as having a taciturn, unsociable personality so most people gave him his space. Although he typically tried to pay little to no attention to the revelry, tonight he had been otherwise inclined. Damn the old hag for noticing.

"Oh come now, Konzen. That happy little one will never pay you any mind if you sit in the corner and sulk."

Konzen leapt to his feet and practically growled at the smirking _thing_ standing there with one hand on her hip. "Get away from me, you old hag."

With a laugh and a toss of curly black hair, Kanzeon was strutting away. "Just look out, Konzen. I think your little serving boy is getting himself into trouble."

With another laugh and a wave, she was gone amongst the crowd again.

Konzen didn't care either way if the boy was in trouble, he told himself firmly, but his eyes still searched fervently for the boy who was nowhere near the last place that Konzen had seen him.

When Konzen's eyes finally landed on the boy, he was being scolded quite harshly by the politician who'd organized this terrible little soiree for apparently having spilt a copious amount of wine on one of the party-goers. As Konzen watched the man staggering drunkenly and gesturing harshly at his ruined clothes, a doubt rose up in his mind as to whether this recent bit of destruction was actually the serving boy's fault.

Konzen felt an unusual tightness in his chest as he watched the confused young slave being yelled at for this small transgression. When the politician drew back a hand, Konzen realized that the tightness in his chest was anger. With preternatural grace, he strode forcefully over to the politician before he could strike the boy.

After grabbing the man's wrist angrily, Konzen grated out through clenched teeth. "And here I was having such a wonderful time until you had to go and spoil my mood."

The politician and his drunken guest were startled by Konzen's sudden appearance and rare show of emotion. The young serving boy just gazed up at Konzen with a strange glimmer in his eyes, and Konzen began to feel a bit flushed.

After a few moments, the politician flashed a tight, angry smile at Konzen as he shook off the hold on his wrist.

"I'm sorry, but you know how these slaves get if you don't punish them properly."

"Hmph." Konzen narrowed his violet eyes at the other man.

The drunken man, finally having recovered from his surprise, laughed drunkenly. "Lighten up, blondie. Have some wine."

The politician just chuckled lightly. "It's well known that Konzen finds no pleasure in wine."

The sneer in the man's voice was evident, but Konzen just smiled ruefully at him.

"Actually, I think I will indulge tonight." Konzen looked down at the serving boy who was still staring quite unabashedly up at him. Grabbing the young boy's arm, Konzen turned his back to the two morons gaping at him. "This one here is going to serve me. I don't want either of you two spoiling my mood again, got it?"

His lips curled up into a sour smile when he got received no reply, and he strode away, dragging the boy along with him.

The boy at his side began to protest after a moment though.

"Woah! Not so fast! Your legs are longer 'n mine!"

Konzen huffed and refused to respond to such idiocy.

"You're the tallest person I've ever seen!" the boy exclaimed. "And that hair! Even at night it shines like the sun!"

Konzen just rolled his eyes and tugged the little idiot along with him. After he sat back down in his little corner, he raised his eyebrows imperiously at the boy. The boy just stared at him with those ridiculously large eyes. He looked like a puppy waiting for his owner to play with him.

"Bring a cup and some wine."

With a goofy smile and a nod, the boy rushed off, and Konzen returned to being lofty and disinterested. When the boy returned, he filled the cup with wine and passed it reverently to Konzen.

For a moment, Konzen just stared at the cup. He had no particular interest in wine and didn't come to this party with drinking in mind. Hell, he didn't even want to be here.

Large golden eyes peered at him with concern. "Don'cha like wine? Most everybody here seems to love it."

"Do you _want_ me to like my wine?" Konzen asked petulantly. It wasn't like it was the kid's business whether or not he liked his wine.

"Sure I do! Isn't that th' best part?" The boy tilted his head slightly. "I don't really know anythin' about this place an' I don't got any memories. People here yell at me and make me work, but I don't mind servin' people so much 'cause it makes 'em so happy, y'know?"

The corner of Konzen's lips twitched upward ever so slightly. "If you say so." With that, he tilted his cup back, and he felt as if he were tasting wine for the first time. Konzen was actually enjoying his wine, and he wondered why he didn't drink it more often.

The boy smiled for a moment before a blush came to his cheeks. "Y'know… I'm not s'posed ta ask, but will you tell me your name?"

Konzen grunted. "Shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"

The boy blinked a couple of times before laughing openly. "I'm Goku!"

Although he was trying to feign disinterestedness, he realized he wanted to hear the boy's laugh again almost as much as he wanted to see the blush return to those cheeks.

"Konzen." His voice was softer than he meant it to be.

"Huh?" came Goku's ever so intelligent response.

"My name is Konzen. Konzen Douji." Snappish and irritable. That's more like it.

Goku grinned. "That's the best name I ever heard."

Konzen was beginning to feel flustered again and motioned for more wine. Goku happily obliged and seemed perfectly content to watch him drink it.

The two sat in much this manner for a long while. When Konzen felt like this situation was too odd, he'd motion for more wine. This probably wasn't a good idea, but with Goku babbling on in his idiotically cute voice, he felt like joining in the merriment in the only way that he knew how.

Konzen realized, through the drunken haze settling over him, that every time Goku poured him wine, he would lean ridiculously close to him. As Goku leaned close once more, Konzen took the opportunity to study him. The boy was biting his lip in concentration, determined not to spill a drop on Konzen's pristine robes. Those wide golden eyes were fixed on Konzen's cup which was, to Konzen's surprise and dismay, swaying dangerously. When had he gotten this drunk?

As Goku began to draw back, Konzen's hazy mind concocted a plan.

"Do you see that?" he asked, pointing into his cup. "A bit of straw there." Konzen made a show of trying to retrieve something from the liquid.

"Huh?" Goku asked, moving closer to Konzen and peering into the cup. "I don' see nuthin."

"Look closer," Konzen said, his words slurring slightly. "It's there."

In Konzen's hazy mind, Goku seemed to move in slow motion, inching closer and closer to the cup that was hovering just in front of the blonde's face.

"I still don' see it…" Goku complained, eyes focused on the cup.

Leaning closer to Goku, Konzen admired the pout on the boy's lips and his furrowed eyebrows. When the boy finally raised his eyes to meet Konzen's, their noses were almost touching. For a moment, Konzen smugly appreciated the surprise in Goku's eyes before surging forward and pressing his lips against the boy's. At the small, startled noise Goku made at the back of his throat, Konzen smirked against the boy's mouth.

Realizing what he must look like, Konzen retreated abruptly and downed the rest of the wine in his cup. Glancing back at Goku, he found the boy standing rigid, his eyes closed and his cheeks practically glowing red. The haze of the alcohol abated a little at the boy's almost pained expression, and Konzen felt his heart clench painfully. When the boy opened his large eyes and gazed up at him in confusion, Konzen wished the ground would open up and swallow him. Anything was better than to deal with the shame tying his stomach in knots.

Gruffly, Konzen turned his face away from Goku's. "Shouldn't have done that. Sorry." Konzen paused for a moment. "Think of it as a 'thank you' for all your good work."

Konzen couldn't meet the serving boy's eyes anymore, and he pushed his empty cup into the boy's hands without looking at him. He had to get out of here, had to escape. Rising to his feet uncertainly, Konzen was feeling the full effect of the wine now, and he tripped over the end of his robes. He vaguely registered the sound of a cup and a wine bottle smashing against the floor, abandoned by small hands in favor of steadying him. Goku would be punished for that later, and Konzen's shame doubled.

Jerking harshly away from Goku's hands, Konzen began to stomp across the room, pretending he didn't hear Goku's soft "Your welcome."

------

Without a doubt, Konzen was never ever going to touch alcohol again. His head was pounding and the sunlight pouring in the window was heinous. Still, Konzen didn't trust his legs enough to make it to the window the close the curtains. Instead, he pulled the blankets over his head and decided it was too horrible of a day to get out of bed at all.

So when there was a loud knock at his door and an obnoxious, entirely unwanted voice calling his name, he emitted a string of the foulest curses that he knew.

When he heard the door swing open, he uncovered his head to find his aunt standing in the doorway with a simpering smile on her damnable lips. "Now, now, Konzen dear, that's no way to start the day."

"Fuck off," Konzen replied simply as he covered his eyes with his forearm.

"Awwww, is little Konzen not dealing well with his very first hang over?"

Konzen never imagined that his aunt could be any more irritating than she was normally, but he was finding her ten times more annoying when he was hung over.

"Shut the hell up."

She just laughed at him and continued, "Still, I never pegged you for a kissy drunk, nephew."

Konzen jerked up and glared daggers at her. Of course she saw it. Damn witch sees everything.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about. I didn't kiss anyone."

"Oh, is that right?" Kanzeon said conversationally. "Perhaps that was just gravity getting the better of you, and your lips just happened to touch that cute serving boy's. Well, whatever the case may be, I commend you on your good taste, Konzen. I had a peek at the future and that one's going to be a real knock out in a few years." She laughed and winked at him.

He felt his face heating up, and instead of responding, he just growled under his breath.

When Kanzeon realized that Konzen wasn't going to respond, she just frowned. "Ah, and I came here with gifts and everything. Jiroushin~ Bring him in."

'Him?' Konzen whipped his head towards the door and watched incredulously as Goku was lead into the room. As curious as ever, Goku was peering around the room, and when his eyes landed on Konzen, he grinned. At that, Konzen felt a surge of happiness that Goku didn't loathe him for his conduct the previous night.

"Konzen!" the boy cried happily and bounded over to stand near the bed. The boy immediately tried to begin some inane recounting of God-only-knows-what but Konzen cut him off.

"Be quiet!" Konzen grabbed his pounding head and glared at the boy. At the boy's answering pout, Konzen muttered, "My head is killing me."

Kanzeon smirked at him. "I'm glad you two get along so well. I thought you could use a little more help around here, and this little one was being treated particularly badly because of your preference in servers last night. Looks like people don't like you all that much Konzen." At this, her eyes glimmered wickedly at him. "I only managed to acquire this one by telling his owner that grave misfortune would befall his house if he didn't. So that means you owe me one, nephew."

Konzen's headache was just getting worse, and he would rather die before admitting he owed the old hag anything. "Get the hell out of my room."

"Oh dear nephew, your language is so terrible when you're hung over." She looked over at Goku who had occupied himself by playing with the end of Konzen's ponytail. "Now remember what I told you, Goku. Do try to get along when Konzen. I know he's a bit surly, but…" She left the sentence hanging, tossed her ponytail haughtily, and strode from room chuckling.

When the door slammed closed, Konzen clutched at his head again. "Damn hag." He looked at Goku who seemed to moving the ends of Konzen's hair about to watch the sun glimmer off of it.

"First things first, go close the curtains. Damn light is pissing me off."

Goku looked up at him and nodded happily. While Goku was doing as he was told, Konzen lay back down and tried to make his head stop pounding. Watching the boy climb up onto his desk to peer out of the window before closing the curtain, Konzen wondered what kind of trouble Kanzeon was dropping on him this time. Obviously, to have gone this far, she must of foreseen something big in this kid's future.

Goku bounded over to his side again and looked at him with those large eyes. "That lady said I was gonna stay here from now on. Issat true?"

After staring at the boy for a moment, Konzen nodded. "Not like I have a choice in the matter."

Goku's answering smile was radiant. "Really?!! Great!! I like you way better than those other people. Thanks, Konzen!" The boy hesitated and blushed a bit before leaning forward and pressing a chaste kiss on Konzen's cheek.

Konzen jerked away in surprise. "What the hell are you doing, monkey?"

"Saying thanks!" Goku responded happily before shouting, "And 'm not a monkey!!"

"Che." This was just making Konzen's headache worse. "Whatever. Find something to do. Just don't be too loud. I'm going back to sleep."

At this, the boy returned to the window and pulled the curtain open just enough to peer out again. Konzen couldn't fathom what the little brat found so interesting about the view until the boy turned his wide eyes towards him again. "Issat a flower garden out there, Konzen? Can we go 'n see it later?"

'Ah, that's right,' Konzen thought. 'My window does overlook the gardens.'

"We'll see, monkey. Just be quiet."

Goku nodded gravely, his golden eyes glowing with young determination.

Konzen was suddenly reminded of the silly jibe that Kanzeon made about gravity getting the better of him. Looking at the boy, gazing curiously out the window with the light practically gathering around him, Konzen almost smiled.

Gravity indeed.


	2. Kissing Rain Clouds

_**Kissing Rain Clouds (Konzen/Goku fic)**_

**Warnings**: Worksafe, Foul language, boy kissing, Unbetaed, Ancient Greece AU.

**Pairing:** Konzen/Goku

**Summary:** When Konzen told Goku to think of that kiss as a thank you, he certainly didn't mean for Goku to go around kissing _other_ people.

The single worst mistake that Konzen had made with Goku so far was to allow him to become friends with _him_. When Goku had come to him beaming and bursting with energy over his new friend, Konzen knew that it could've been a clone of his terrible aunt, and he still wouldn't have been able to forbid Goku from being friends with her. Young boys need friends, or so Tenpou had said. Konzen thought this was a perfect load of rubbish as he hadn't needed friends growing up, but Goku was very different than he had been at that age.

Goku, for whatever inane reason, actually _liked _people.

Despite Konzen's many petulant tirades, Goku still gazed at him with those large adoring eyes and behaved as though Konzen was some sort of Olympian deity. Konzen knew that not even the most reasonable protests could persuade Goku to end his new friendship, and he sadly admitted that this new playmate was quickly becoming a constant, albeit annoying, addition to his normal life.

Konzen stalked through the corridors, heading for Tenpou's little junk room, because recently it had become Goku's favorite haunt. As he neared the door, he heard an unpleasant crash accompanied by a grunt and a surprised shout that sounded too close to Goku's voice for Konzen to be comfortable. Not that he _cared_, or anything so irrational. If Goku was injured, _he_ was the one that had to deal with it, and that would be a pain in the ass. Konzen sprinted the rest of the way to the room and threw open the door. Fortunately, the sight that he was met with was rather comical, and Konzen's agitated heartbeat began to return to normal.

To control his urge to smile, Konzen narrowed his eyes and frowned at the ridiculous scene that Goku and Kenren were presenting to him. Both of their faces were smudged with paint, and they were sprawled on the ground under an avalanche of Tenpou's _collection_- which was, in Konzen's opinion, mostly garbage ranging from foreign literature and art to weapons and statues of strangely dressed, mustachioed men. The best part was seeing the dumbfounded shock evident in Kenren's expression, and for the first and likely only time, having to lay eyes on the aggravating bastard was worth every second.

Suddenly Goku noticed him, and if he weren't such a logical person, Konzen would've sworn that time had stopped for a moment. Goku's wide eyes were shining with surprise and delight, and he beamed up at Konzen unreservedly. This excited grin was all it took to have Konzen's heartbeat speeding up again, and he knew he turned a little red. If he were a lesser man, he would've called Goku 'cute,' but instead he responded by deepening his frown. Let Goku think his face was turning red in annoyance. It served him right for upsetting Konzen's balance so much.

"I got sumthin ta show ya, Konzen!" Goku exclaimed from his place on the floor "It's—"

Goku's words were cut off by the door in the back of the room opening to reveal Tenpou, who looked as though he'd been woken from a mid-afternoon nap. With a sheepish grin, Kenren sprang to his feet and rubbed the back of his head with a paint covered hand. Konzen smirked when Kenren pulled his hand away to reveal a large pink splotch of paint in the man's black hair.

"Excuse me, Goku, but could you and Kenren please return my things to their proper place before you do anything else." Tenpou paused. "Actually, you two should clean all that paint off of your hands before handling any of my things, please."

"'Kay!" Goku nodded with his typical enthusiasm, and he received a polite smile in return.

Kenren watched Goku dash from the room to go wash his hands, and with that shit-eating grin that Konzen loathed, he said, "Awww, Tenpou, I cleaned up this whole place yesterday. I think Goku can handle this one on his own, yeah?"

When Tenpou turned his smile on Kenren, it had taken on a slightly sinister edge, and Kenren sighed in defeat as he went to do as he was told.

Tenpou came to stand next to Konzen as he adjusted his glasses and ran a hand through his ruffled hair.

"You know," Tenpou commented pleasantly, "when I told you that Goku needed friends, I meant friends his own age.

"Che. Kenren acts the right age. That's what counts, right?"

Tenpou pursed his lips a bit as if actually considering this. "Perhaps… but I can't help but think that Goku needs a friend that is actually his age. Even if I am happy to see him getting along so well Kenren."

"I wasn't the one that introduced Goku to Kenren ." With a scoff, Konzen turned his face away from Tenpou, and his voice became petulant and unsure. "Besides, he's supposed to be a slave. Why should I have to worry about things like that?"

Tenpou's customary smile disappeared from his lips, and his expression tightened. "Yes, he is _supposed_ to be a slave, but he _isn't_, is he?" Tenpou's polite smile returned. "As it is, you really should be more honest with yourself. I know that you care about Goku, and so I'd thought that politely advising you would help you both. Unlike you, Konzen, Goku is very much a social creature, and I worry that perhaps you, Kenren, and I are often rather inadequate company."

Konzen could hardly disagree with that last statement. In a quiet voice, Konzen said, "Goku… Well, he's happy."

Tenpou smiled enigmatically and crossed the room to begin undoing Goku's recent bit of chaos. "Ah, is that true? Well, if your primary concern is his happiness, then I shouldn't worry so much."

Flustered, Konzen began to ask him what the hell he meant by that, but Kenren suddenly burst into the room being chased by a grinning Goku.

"Come back here, ya scaredy-cat," Goku called happily.

Kenren ducked behind Tenpou for safety. "I'm not scared. You're just angry because I'm winning."

"Arghhh! Stop hidin', ya big meanie!" Goku shouted indignantly.

"I'm not hiding!!"

"Come now, you two, clean up this mess."

Konzen listened to them bicker good-naturedly as they restored all of Tenpou's things to their rightful places. Silently, he watched their rather quick progress, and he felt a bit left out. Well, whatever. No way in hell he was going to clean up another one of the monkey's messes when he didn't have to do so.

Suddenly, Goku gasped dramatically and snatched up a piece of parchment. "Here it is! Here it is!" Goku ran over to Konzen and held his little treasure aloft. "See what me'n Ken did today!!"

Konzen was presented with a painting of a field with sun high in the sky. The centerpiece was a purple flower with large petals. It was very much an amateur painting, but Goku seemed quite proud of himself. When Konzen didn't immediately respond, Goku's smile faltered a bit.

"I wanted th' purple ta be the same color as your eyes, but…" Goku frowned for a moment, and his cheeks turned a bit pink.

Konzen grunted, and he felt himself blush a little too. "Don't be silly, monkey. It's perfect."

Goku's smile returned in full force. "Thanks, Konzen! We was gonna hang it up over there, but we knocked a buncha stuff down."

Tenpou turned, his glasses catching the light and obscuring his eyes. "Ah, wouldn't it be much better if you hung it up in Konzen's room? You painted it for him, didn't you?"

Hesitant eyes peered up at Konzen. "Well… if that's okay with Konzen…"

Konzen made a noncommittal sound, but Goku understood well enough.

"Yay! We can put it in front of your desk!"

Goku's exuberance often threatened to rub off on him which annoyed Konzen to no end. With a sigh, he said, "Yeah, whatever. Just tell them goodbye. I need to get back."

"'Kay!" Goku rushed over to Tenpou and hugged him. "See ya!"

Kenren contorted his face into an overdramatic pout. "What about me, squirt? I brought you paint and everything today, and you hug him first?"

"Ah! Sorry! Here!" Goku spread his arms wide and lifted up on his tip toes. Kenren smiled and knelt down, allowing Goku to throw his arms around Kenren's neck.

Konzen fought the urge to throttle Kenren. "Alright. Come on. I don't have all day."

Goku pulled back a bit and smiled at Kenren. "Thanks for the paint!"

Unfortunately, Konzen knew what was going to happen next, but he couldn't stop it. He felt all the blood drain from his face as he watched Goku surge forward to plant a chaste kiss directly on Kenren's mouth. Kenren made a startled sound in the back of his throat and pulled away. Two sets of questioning eyes landed on Konzen, but he was too angry to acknowledge either.

Helplessly, Kenren sputtered for a second and said, "Um, sorry, squirt, but I'm not really into boys."

Goku glanced back at Konzen in confusion. "But Konzen told me that's how ya say thank you."

Nothing makes a situation more awkward quite like dead silence does. Konzen was glaring full on at Kenren who just looked dumbfounded, and Tenpou looked surprised—well as close to surprised as Konzen had ever seen him. Goku just looked on obliviously, unsure what the problem was.

After a pregnant pause, Kenren's lips curled up into a lecherous grin, and his eyes gleamed wickedly. "Ah, I see. Never figured you'd have a hobby like that Konzen."

"SHUT UP!" Konzen shouted harshly. "It's not like that." After glaring murderously at Kenren for a second more, he stomped from the room. He felt his face getting hot, and he shouted "GOKU! Come on!" over his shoulder.

He focused on the pitter-patter of Goku's footsteps, and thankfully, Goku didn't seem inclined to prattle on nonsensically or ask stupid questions. When the two finally entered Konzen's room, Goku turned wide, startled eyes on Konzen.

"What's th' matter, Konzen?"

"Never," Konzen replied through gritted teeth. "Never kiss anyone like that again."

"B-But Konzen…" Goku couldn't seem to understand why Konzen was angry. "You… you said that…"

"Forget what I said!" Konzen snapped. "What were you thinking?! Of all the damn people in Athens, why the fuck did it have to be Kenren?!"

Suddenly, Goku's typically shining eyes turned dark. "Hey! Don't talk bad about Ken. He's my friend, an' I like him."

"Well, I don't like him, Goku, and I don't want to see you do anything like that to him ever again, okay?" Konzen could feel his face turning an angry scarlet, but he continued to rant. "When I said that kiss was a thank you, that was a special instance, and it certainly didn't mean that I wanted you to go around kissing every bastard who did something nice for you!"

By this time, Goku looked rather close to tears, and Konzen felt a wave of shame that wasn't quite powerful enough to extinguish all the anger churning in his stomach.

"I don' understand why you're so angry, Konzen," Goku said as a tear finally slid down his cheek. "But Konzen, Ken is my friend too! Why is it okay for me 'n you to kiss but not okay for me ta kiss Ken? It was just ta show my thanks, like ya told me."

"Shut the hell up, monkey. I said that it's not okay, and that's final. Go take a nap or something. I can't deal with you right now. "

"Fine!" Goku shouted. More tears began to streak down his cheeks. Fiercely angry now, Goku stomped over to the bed in the corner of the room, and he threw himself down onto it.

Konzen sat down wearily on his bed, suddenly tired beyond belief, and watched Goku's shoulders shake as he cried as silently as he could into his pillow.

What was it that Konzen had said about Goku being happy with him?

---

For the next several days, Konzen did his best not to speak to Goku. While Konzen worked, he was painfully aware of Goku sulking in his corner and dejectedly playing with the few toys that Konzen had procured for him. Well, pretending to play with his toys anyway. Most of the time, he could feel Goku's eyes watching him miserably, as if staring at the side of his face would reveal everything. Even though Konzen felt terrible, he could hardly tell Goku that he'd be seething with jealousy over a chaste, innocent kiss. Hell, he didn't like admitting it to himself.

Finally, on the fourth day of tension and poorly veiled staring, Goku exploded at Konzen.

"Konzen, why are ya being so mean?!" Goku shouted, the dam that had held back his tears for the past few days bursting. "I don' understand why you're so mad, an' ya won' even talk to me. You're not being fair!"

With that pout on his lips that always made Konzen give in to anything and everything, Goku kicked Konzen roughly in the shin and sprinted to the door.

"Ow! You little bastard!"

"I'm gonna go hang out with Tenpou. He's a lot nicer 'n you!"

Goku slammed the door harshly, and Konzen listened to Goku's footsteps as he darted away.

God, Konzen was getting one hell of a headache.

---

When the door opened hours later, Konzen was spread out on his bed, facing the wall. He wasn't about to move and give Goku a good view of his miserable expression. Dammit, he didn't want Goku to know that he'd sulked in his bed all day long. That sort of thing was too pathetic to admit. Hesitant footsteps approached, and he felt the bed shift to accommodate Goku's weight. A hand found its way to Konzen's hair, and Konzen realized that Goku was _petting_ him like a master strokes his irate cat.

"Stop." Konzen's voice was flat and tired, but Goku's hand jerked away relatively quickly.

For a moment, Goku sputtered unintelligibly, and it was stupid enough to almost make Konzen feel a little bit better.

"I-I-I thought ya was sleepin'," Goku explained.

"Well, I'm not so stop it." Konzen wondered for a moment if Goku had ever done that before when he was asleep, but that thought made his face turn a bit red.

"Um, Konzen? Can I talk ta ya now? I talked ta Tenpou, an' he said some weird stuff."

Konzen could feel his blood run a bit colder. What the hell had Tenpou told him?

He sat up and looked at Goku. A quick once-over told Konzen that Goku had long since stopped crying, and sorrow had been replaced by confusion. After a moment, Konzen said, "Well, go on."

"Jus' don' get mad, 'kay?" Goku said quietly.

Konzen huffed. "I'm not going to get angry, monkey. Just tell me what he said."

"Okay. Well, I asked Tenpou why you was mad at me, an' he said that you were just upset cause of that kiss. I told him that I didn' know why that was bad, an' he asked me what I thought of ya." Goku's cheeks turned red, and he twiddled his thumbs a bit. Seeing this unsure, blushing Goku made Konzen's lip quirk up into an almost smile. "An' I told him that you were like my sun."

Goku averted his eyes for a moment, too embarrassed to go on. As he felt his own face heat up, Konzen motioned for Goku to continue.

He took a breath and dove back into his explanation. "Then he told me that if that was true, then Kenren is the like th' rain clouds. He told me that you was afraid that I would start likin' the rain more 'n the sun. He said that you was afraid that even if th' sun was shinin' bright an' warm, that I would still wish for th'…" Goku paused in thought. "Excitement! That was the word! That you were afraid that even if th' sun was shinin' bright an' warm, that I would still wish for th' excitement of th' storm." Goku cocked his head questioningly to the side. "Issat true, Konzen? Issat how ya felt?"

Konzen took a deep breath. "Maybe that did scare me. Just a little."

"Oh," Goku said softly, still looking a bit confused. "So Konzen gets scared too, huh?"

"Hmph! But... you don't… you don't like the rain better do you?" Konzen asked, fearful despite himself.

Goku's face broke out into a large grin. "Naw, th' sun's still my favorite." He laughed happily and grabbed Konzen's hand. "I'll always like Konzen th' best."

By this point, Konzen was struggling not to smile, so he frowned a bit which just made Goku laugh again. Konzen snatched his hand back and ruffled Goku's hair.

After a moment of silence, Goku said, "Is it okay ta put up my painting now?"

He looked up at Konzen with wide eyes that shined in the fading light filtering in the window.

Together they hung up the painting, and Goku beamed proudly at his handiwork. Suddenly, he tugged harshly at the end of Konzen's hair, making him stumble backwards. Konzen landed ungracefully on his chair, and he glared daggers at Goku.

"What the hell is your problem, monkey?!" Konzen snapped.

Goku grinned, mischief lighting up his large eyes. "Couldn' reach." With that as his preamble, he leaned up and kissed Konzen on the mouth. Surprised and rapidly turning red, Konzen jerked back and just stared at Goku like he'd grown a third head.

"Tha's the best way ta say thank you." Goku grinned. "But only if it's Konzen."

With a grunt, Konzen turned his face away and nodded. "Only me."

With that, Goku climbed onto his bed and proceeded to ramble on about a new kid that he'd met who said his name was Neoptolemus.

"But," Goku exclaimed dramatically. "He said that I could call 'im Nataku!"

'Achilles' kid, huh?' Konzen thought darkly. 'Goku sure attracts troublesome people.'

But as Goku went on excitedly, Konzen decided that any and all trouble was worth it to see the stupid monkey happy again.

-*Notes*-

-Translating Tenpou speak into Goku speak was interesting cause in my head Goku uses bad grammar. :P

-Neoptolemus=Nataku because for whatever odd reason, when I read Philoctetes, Nataku was my mental image of Neoptolemus. :S He does have that war-crazed other representation that does fit (I guess?). And though I'm relatively certain that Neoptolemus doesn't hail from Athens, for the sake of the story he does. :P

-Also, Colonel Sanders gets a bit of a mention. Cause he was always one of the funniest things in Tenpou's collection and I didn't have the heart to leave him out


End file.
